


Tight Deadlines

by Zakodia



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, Pact of Punishment, Pre-Relationship, Spoilers, Spoilers for Tight Deadline Pact, Than just trying to do his job
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-19 10:01:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29748813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zakodia/pseuds/Zakodia
Summary: 1 minute…30 seconds"Oh no, the time." he heard Zagreus mutterA one-shot about Thanatos dealing with the conditions of the Pact of Punishment, specifically his role in Tight Deadline
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 70





	Tight Deadlines

Thanatos could hear the quiet ticking in the back of his head as he floated high over the arena. He winced as Zagreus took a particularly hard hit from Asterius’ axe.

_1 minute….30 seconds_

"Oh no, the time." he heard Zagreus mutter, as Than tolled the bell that signaled 30 seconds left. It was, once again, Zagreus' fault they were all caught up in this Pact. The flaming piece of parchment had been presented to Thanatos without announcement or explanation, but it was understood he was meant to sign. He waited and waited for the unfortunate day Zagreus would push himself too far and he would be forced to punish him for his hubris. It seemed Zagreus was trying out every condition one by one and Thanatos was last on the list. "Tight Deadline" was the name Hypnos had come up with to put on the Pact.

"Get it? _deadline_?!" He laughed as Than rolled his eyes. 

Not that Thanatos could warn poor Zagreus of his choices. That was part of the Pact as well; Zagreus had to learn the consequences for himself. 

Which is why it wrenched Thanatos' heart even more when Zagreus looked up expectantly as the arena was bathed in the green light Thanatos' brought with him everywhere, "Than?" He questioned the air. 

Than was there, but the ticking was growing louder and louder; drowning out any thoughts of helping Zagreus that he had. He was here to do a job, nothing personal. That’s why he tried to tell himself at least, Zagreus had a way of making everything personal. 

_10...9...8...7_

Zagreus went after Theseus and Asterius with renewed vigor, realizing the urgency, but Thanatos could already see the end. Zagreus had weakly stumbled into the arena to start and the duo had shown no mercy as they were commanded to do. He could see Zagreus panting as he dashed away from Thesus, blood dripping behind him, barely avoiding the spear. 

_5...4...3...2..._

Thanatos moved in closer but still out of sight, his presence was meant to be felt and not seen. He swung his scythe in Zagreus' direction, and saw him stumble back as it hit its mark. Every swipe of his scythe pained him; he couldn’t help the feeling in the back of his head that this Punishment was more for him then for Zagreus. Hades had to have known he was helping Zagreus and this was his warning, _his_ punishment.

It was even worse when he let Zagreus go, to defy death, to continue on. For it was Thanatos who had convinced Nyx to add the ability to defy death to the mirror she gifted Zagreus. He could see something the others could not, Hades could already defy him, at least for a short while; one of the privileges of being a full god. Zagreus would be at a disadvantage as a lesser god, Thanatos knew this. So he lent his power to his mother, and in turn Zagreus. Though thinking of something in the abstract and seeing it actually happen were two different things, Thanatos learned. He watched Zagreus briefly die only to be brought back from the brink by Nyx and his combined powers. The way Zagreus reacted made it clear it was extremely painful and, once again, Thanatos had to ponder if he was actually the one being punished. Having to watch the consequences of his actions, to watch Zagreus in pain over and over and over again. More than once he had to stop himself from swooping down and taking care of an overwhelming horde of enemies. He could not stand to watch Zagreus fail time and time again. Before the Pact he knew it was happening but it was so far removed from him, he only helped on occasion, but now watching it every day or night was exhausting. 

Zagreus made a valiant effort towards Asterius but it was too late, Thanatos dealt the final blow and watched the Styx take its prize. 

In truth, Thanatos hoped that Zagreus would abandon the Tight Deadline condition all together. There were plenty of others he could choose to challenge himself with; ones that did not require Than’s involvement. It always pained him when Zagreus died; he felt every last one, even when he wasn’t always present. The few times Zagreus had reached the surface Thanatos had been there to release him, but it was an act of mercy, to spare him from a more slow and painful death. Being the cause of death by punishment, made Thanatos uneasy it was not in his nature, he did not derive pleasure from it. He was the god of peaceful death, a transition from one world to the next. He was not born of vengeance like Megara and her sisters, or violence like his sisters Nemesis and Eris. His job was one of assistance, not of cause.

He did not reappear at the House, for he did not want Zagreus to confront him about his part in his father’s Pact. Instead he went off to the surface, to work, both in hopes of catching up and clearing his head. These hopes were quickly dashed when he felt the familiar pull of Zagreus starting a run, and his job as personal timekeeper. So this is how Thanatos found himself in Asphodel again, muttering to himself. “Stay behind the pillars Zag” he said as he watched the Witches Circle almost take Zagreus by themselves. “Oh watch the statues,” as Zagreus dashed carelessly. He watched countless times as Zagreus failed, sometimes he got farther, faster and sometimes he didn’t make it past Asphodel. Thanatos observed them all. An idea occurred to him, perhaps he could use this time to help Zagreus, to be useful. 

* * *

“You’re sitting, I mean floating- wait, actually using the couch?!” Thanatos looked up to see Zagreus' shocked face.

“You did spend your hard stolen- I mean, _earned_ riches on it, I figured I would try it for once”

Zagreus smiled to see his decorations actually put to use, before eyeing Thanatos suspiciously, “What are you writing? I rarely see you doing parchment work, Than.”

“Just some notes on your performances out there.”

Zagreus groaned, “I’ve already got Hypnos for that, I don’t need you too.”

“He doesn’t see you like _I_ see you.”

Zagreus looked confused as he tried to piece together what Thanatos meant.

“Think about it; I think you can put two and two together. See you out there.” 

And then he vanished, conveniently leaving the notes behind for Zagreus to ponder. The Pact said he couldn’t outright tell Zagreus his role, but it didn’t say anything about leaving hints. 

* * *

Soon on another day or night Thanatos was hovering above Elysium watching Zagreus try again, he obviously had been taking Thanatos’ notes to heart. He deftly swung Stygius through a Brightsword and dashed towards the next but once again the ticking was getting louder. 

Thanatos readied his scythe as his bell echoed throughout the chamber. 

“Thanatos, you don’t have to do this. Please.” Zagreus looked up desperately as he tried to keep fighting. Than gripped his scythe even tighter, he opened his mouth to respond and the sound was lost. Whatever power was in the Pact prevented him from responding, no matter how much he wanted to. The ticking started growing louder before completely taking over his thoughts again, there was only one thing left to do and he hoped it would be quick. For everyone’s sake. 

He shifted to Zagreus’ bedroom once the job was complete, Zag had figured it out and now he deserved an explanation.

“Thanatos! What the hell was that?” Zagreus said rushing into the room, frustration bleeding through his voice

“It—”

“Is everyone in this House against me all of a sudden? Zagreus interrupted him, pacing back and forth. “I thought I had come to an understanding with Meg, but now here you are, helping _him_ ”

“It wasn’t a choice Zag” Thanatos said through gritted teeth, did Zagreus really think that low of him? That he would just change his loyalty at any moment, like he had not already risked everything to help him in the first place. That he would just throw that all away?

“Do you think I enjoy it?”

His words stopped Zagreus in his tracks. He stared at Thanatos, at a loss. 

“I am _trying_ to help you Zagreus, its all I can do,” Thanatos pleaded.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Thanatos laughed bitterly, “You think I could? You’ve seen the Pact.”

“So you’re bound to it, Father’s power,” Zagreus mused under his breath, “but why you?”

Thanatos shook his head, “At first I thought it was _I_ that was being punished, that I had been discovered, that your father knew I was helping you, and in a way it still feels like that”

“You’re not being punished?” Zagreus questioned

“Despite how it looks no it does not appear I am, the more I thought the more obvious it became that I am the only person fit for the job”

Zagreus paced, the way Thanatos knew he did when he was thinking, barely looking at Than. His guilt almost overcame him, he wished he could have told Zagreus earlier, spared them both the pain, but there was no way, they both knew this. It did nothing to lessen the blow however. 

* * *

“I’m ready for you, Than! Take me now, oh Death!” 

Thanatos shook his head as Zagreus called over the warning bell. He had begged and pleaded with Zagreus to stop with this condition, but Zagreus had led him over to the desk, shown him the Fated List. He had to complete every condition at least once. In his thoughts Thanatos cursed his sisters, though he dare not speak it aloud, they were always listening.

Zagreus continued his monologue, an attempt to bring levity to the situation. Than didn’t have the heart to tell him he couldn’t hear him once the timer ran out, the ticking in his head loud enough to drown out any pleading or second thoughts he may have ever had. He had done enough damage already, better to just let Zagreus believe he was helping. 

Maybe this is exactly what the Fates had in store for Thanatos, a reminder of the endless cycle he played no small part in. Life, Death and the time in between. Their lives were not much different then mortals when he considered it. There was celebration and anguish, success and failure. Zagreus encompassed all these; he always told Thanatos he wasn’t the god of anything, but Thanatos had never believed him. What exactly Zagreus had control of, Than had his guesses; but all would be revealed in time, the one thing they had plenty of. As he watched the red waters surge to claim Zagreus once again Thanatos sighed. Working under the Pact was not his choice and it brought him no joy, but even so it had given him a chance to be closer to Zagreus. To help him in his own way, to go through his triumphs and his failures even from afar. And perhaps in that way it was not a punishment as perhaps Hades had hoped it would be, but a strange gift that only Thanatos could appreciate. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I appreciate all comments even keysmashes and all emojis! Kudos are welcomed too! You can find me mostly on Twitter [Twitter](https://twitter.com/saucykaiju) or on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/loveaintforkeeping)!


End file.
